<Begin Segment 40>

EO: This is my final question. You know when you say that the Japanese American community did not treat you well, what happened to you?

HU: Come again?

EO: You said that if you had belonged to JACL you would be treated better by the Japanese American community. How have you been treated?

HU: Well, the JACL people, I don't know... they all know I'm anti-JACL. And I think they don't invite me, for instance, like Japanese throw the artists exhibition. Mineta was only fifteen years old and whatchamacall, Jennie Wakatsuki was only five. What they know about the camp? Jennie came over to my place before the preview of that Farewell to Manzanar. But she came about three times in other house. Then preview showing in UC Berkeley Library, I think the theater or something, then she came over and took us, me and my wife up there, but when I see that movie, I was supposed to be one of the character in there. I never met his father, and especially the riot scene, that was Karl Yoneda's, he's the technical advisor. That's his idea. No one carried the stick or throw the rock. I don't know after the tear gas thrown, they might throw a few sand or few... there wasn't too many rocks around. A lot of sand there. That's about all. Nobody carries the stick. An insult to the people in Manzanar. So you know, Mako, the actor, he played my part in Farewell to Manzanar but that isn't right. No, that's, Karl Yoneda get back to the people. Because he's been hate by the majority of people in there.

[Interruption]

EO: Harry, do you remember any happy times in camp?

HU: No, I guess while I was in Manzanar before the incidents, I was happy. I was active, busy all the time.

EO: But you didn't know what was going to happen to you, did you?

HU: No, I never thought anything happened like that, see. But I think I tried to do better for a better place to live despite all those things, that's why I tried to build a pond and do something for the people. But it backfired. I fought against a too big opponent. So... [laughs]

<End Segment 40> - Copyright © 1994, 2003 Densho and Emiko Omori. All Rights Reserved.